Artemisia plant named ‘Dueparethio’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Artemisia  plant named ‘Dueparethio’ characterized by its relatively compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading growth habit; freely branching habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; greyed green-colored leaves; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Artemisia arborescens.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEPARETHIO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Artemisia plant, botanically known as Artemisia arborescens and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dueparethio’.

The new Artemisia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Artemisia plants with greyed green-colored leaves.

The new Artemisia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in February, 2008 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Artemisia arborescens identified as code number A07-0231-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Artemisia arborescens identified as code number A07-0109-4, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Artemisia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Artemisia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Artemisia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Artemisia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylight and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dueparethio’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dueparethio’ as a new and distinct Artemisia plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and somewhat outwardly spreading         growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   4. Greyed green-colored leaves.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Artemisia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Artemisia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Artemisia are more compact than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Artemisia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Artemisia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Artemisia are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Artemisia and the male parent selection         differ in leaf color as plants of the male parent selection have         green-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Artemisia can be compared to plants of Artemisia vulgaris ‘Oriental Limelight’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,788. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Artemisia differed primarily from plants of ‘Oriental Limelight’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Artemisia were more compact than plants of         ‘Oriental Limelight’.     -   2. Plants of the new Artemisia were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Oriental Limelight’.     -   3. Plants of the new Artemisia and ‘Oriental Limelight’ differed         in leaf color as plants of ‘Oriental Limelight’ had bright         yellow and green variegated leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Artemisia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Artemisia plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Dueparethio’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 12-cm containers during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typically used in commercial Artemisia production. During the production of the plants, night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time about three weeks after planting and were 20 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Artemisia arborescens ‘Dueparethio’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Artemisia             arborescens identified as code number A07-0231-2, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Artemisia             arborescens identified as code number A07-0109-4, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact, upright to             outwardly spreading growth habit; freely branching habit             with about ten lateral branches, dense and bushy; moderately             vigorous to vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 30 cm to 32 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 27.5 cm to 30 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 10 cm to 40 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm to 5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.25 cm to 1.5 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Densely pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 195A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.         -   Length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Obovate; deeply incised.         -   Apex.—Tri-dentate.         -   Base.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Deeply incised.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Tomentose.         -   Fragrance.—Aromatic.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             191A to 191B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to             191A; venation, close to 191A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 191A to 191B; venation, close to 191A to             191B.         -   Petiole length.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 1 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Tomentose.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 191A to             191C. -   Inflorescence description: Inflorescence initiation and development     have not been observed on plants of the new Artemisia. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Artemisia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Artemisia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Artemisia have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate temperatures ranging     from about 5° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Artemisia plant named ‘Dueparethio’ as illustrated and described. 